Sheet collecting machine



J. J. MURRAY SHEET COLLECTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 19. 1929 5 ShQetS-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

'Oct 6, 1931- J. J. MURRAY 1,825,885

- SHEET COLLECTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 19, 192s 5 sheets-sheet 2 y?? yl@ A'TTORNEYn Oct. 6, 193.1. J. 1. MURRAY SHEET COLLECTINGMACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 19. 19@

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` ATTORNEY.

Oct. 6, 1931. A Y J. J. MURRAY l Y 1,825,885

SHEET COLLECTING'MACHIN Illlllllll! .N y 1 l vENToR a?? Mya/(W A'TTORNEY.

Oct. 6, 1931.. J. J.MURRAY .1,825,885

SHEET COLLECTING MACHINE l vFiled Jan. 19, 1929 .f 5 sheets-sheet 5 VENTOR f BY W MCATTORNEY. l

v JOHN J'. MURRAY, 0F RYE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY ,y

' of treated aper w1th1n which the sheets are Patentedct. 6, 1931 )l UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK SHEET COLLECTING MACHINE Applicaton led January 19, 1929. Serial No. 333,685.

My invention relates to sheet collecting machinesfand more particularly to a machine by which a paraiiin paper or other web having printed. sheets wound therein may be so l actuated as to transfer the printed paper sheets to delivery tapes or other' collecting mechanisms.

In printing from engraved steel plates upon rotary machines, a delivery mechanism is sometimes used which includes therein a web wound as t ey are delivered from the tapes. It is necessary, prior to each successive operation upon said sheets, to remove the sheets from thel roll of web and stack them in a pile so that they may be conveniently fed to the printing machines, whether plate or nurnbering, by the voperator of such other'machines.

It has been found, in actual practice, particularly when dampened sheets of paper are used, that there'is a tendency of the sheets to adhere, either by suction, the action of static electricity, or for some other reason, to

. the material of the web during the'unwinding of the roll incidental to the collection of the sheets therefrom, but that frequently such adherence of the sheets is very weak. With the condition last named, the sheets drop from the exposed surface of the web as it 1s being unwound, and are not delivered to the collecting shelf. As sheets are delivered from the printing machine, the freshly inked surface of the sheets is resented towardthe axis of the roll of we and adheres to the portion of the roll between the paper and said axis, so thatduring the unwinding of the roll while the printed sheets are exposed outwardly of the web they will ordinarily adhere to and follow ythe upper or outer sur- Y face of the web during the unwinding1 operation, but if this adherence be weak, t ey will drop from such surface before the web reaches a position where gravity can act to prevent such separation.

Due to the constantly changing diameter of the roll as it is unwound, there is a 'constantly varying pressure or suction condition between the web and the printed sheets, the smaller the diameter of the roll, and the sharper the bend in the web, the greater being the tendency towards a loss of that adhesion relied upon to ensure a proper conveyance of the sheet to the delivery point because of the increased tendency of the forward and rear edges of the paper to move away from the web when relieved of the pressure from an outer ply or convolution of the web. To minimize the tendency of the sheets to thus escape from the web, it was the practice, prior to my invention, to pass the return run of the web below, and in pressure exerting contact with, the unwound p0rtions of the web, thus applying pressure to the sheets and also providin r a surface upon which any sheets which might become separated from the web, notwithstanding such ressure, would be caught and carried away rom the roll. This condition required constant attention from the operator to avoidsurface thereof, -I refer to the most recently printed face in the event that the sheets have had imprints made on both sides thereof.

With the above conditions in mind, I have provided a sheet collecting machine in which the web upon the roll is so guided in its course through the machine that during the run of the web from'the roll, each sheet will be conveyed between parallel courses of the web,.up to the point of its delivery to ordinaryv delivery tapes, thus avoiding all lpossibility of the delivery of a sheet to any point excepting these delivery tapes, and ensuring a proper delivery of every sheet without re- 'qulring any special attention from the the point where each sheet passes from the web to the delivery tapes, the parallel reaches of the web have a sharp upward bend imparted thereto, thus weakenin or entirely reaking the light adhesion etween the sheet and one, the upper, reach of the web at this point, so that the sheet will separate by gravlty from the web, except under very unusual conditions, and will pass to the delivery tapes without rubbing Contact with strippers or other fixed parts of the machine.

While the sheets are in contact with the lower parallel reach of the web during only a short run thereof, they will not adhere thereto, and this lower reach will always hold the sheets in a fixed position in relation to the upper reach of the web, to which they ad here. If a sheet should separate from the upper reach, it will nevertheless be conveyed in the same course as all other sheets, and be transferred to the delivery tapes or belt by which it will be conveyed, in the same position as all other sheets, to the collecting shelf by the lower reach of the web.

The tapes themselves will deliver the sheets to the collecting shelf, face upward, where they may be readily inspected by the operator.

The collecting shelf, in order to ermit the sheets to properly adjust themse ves thereupon, or upon a collected pile of sheets, is set at an angle to the horizontal in a plane substantially parallel with but below the run of the delivery tapes, and in the machine of my invention, means are provided whereby the height of this collecting shelf, and the position of the tailboard thereof, may be mechanically adjusted by the operator so as to substantially preserve the relative position of the to of the pile of sheets thereon and of the elivery tapes, irrespective of the height of the pile of sheets. While the adv justment of the collecting shelf is manually controlled, the mechanisms operative thereon so operate as to effect the lowering of the shelf, and such an adjustment of the position of the tailboard as to cause the top of the pile of sheets to always occupy substantially the same position in relation to the delivery ta mechanism. The use of joggers with `a elivery shelf of the character to which my invention relates is impracticable and unsatisfactory.

In a machine embodyin the invention, an operator is required during the operation o the machine adjacent the collecting shelf only, and the sole attention required of the operator is the occasional lowering of the collectingl shelf to com nsate for the increasing eight of the p1 e of sheets thereon, the changing of the angularity of the shelf, to maintain a substantially umform distance between the delivery tapes and the tailboard of the collecting shelf, and the inspection of the imprints on the sheets, if desired.

The invention consists rimarily in a sheet collecting machine emb ying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing rinted sheets, a delivery belt, a collecting s elf adapted to receive such sheets from said belt, a rewind mechanism, bearings for a rewind reel adjacent said mechanism, and web guiding means, including a collating roller adjacent said supply reel about which different portions of the web in contacting parallel reaches are passed, separating rollers adjacent said belt, whereby the portlons of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led inopposite directions, an upper collating roller whereby one of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of said separating rollers, is directed into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supply reel, and rollers between the other of said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as arehereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a collecting machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the end of the machine adjacent the collecting shelf, with the collecting shelf omitted;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine with the collecting shelf omitted;

Fig. 4 is a view from the right hand end of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a similar view from the left hand end of the machine; and

Fig. 6 yis a diagrammatic View showing the run of the web.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

A machine embodying the invention is for the purpose of removing printed sheets from within a roll of a continuous web such as is commonly used in what is generally termed the paraiiin strip delivery mechanism of a steel plate engravinor machine, and to rewind the web upon areelzso that it may be 'subsequently assembled in the delivery mechanism of the press, the removed sheets bein stacked or piled upon a collecting shelf ollowing their removal from the roll.

In such a machine, the mechanisms must be such as to permit the convenient mounting of the supply and the rewind reels in proper relation to the mechanisms acting thereon, or upon the web as it is withdrawn from the roll upon the reel, and the removal of the reels as required, since these reels do not form a permanent'part of the machine.

In the embodiment of the invention shown inl the accompanying drawings, I provide in the side frames of the machine, suitable bearings 10 adapted to receive the arbors 1l at opposite ends of the reel 12, upon which properly times. Upon the other arbor 11 of the reel, i I provide a are merely such as a Acontinuous strip or web 13 of properly treated paper is wound so as to inclose printed sheets as delivered by a steel plate printing machine.

One arbor 11 has mounted rthereon a suitable friction drum 14 co-operating with which is a. suitable braking device 15 for tensioning the strip or web at all uniformity in the speed of rotation of a roll of a continuous strip or web of paper or the like, and for positively stopping this rotation j by a braking action.

My invention relates more particularlyto the arrangement of various rollers by which the web, as is withdrawn from theroll upon the supply reel, is so directed in its course that when the machine is in operation, different portions of this web will'be brought together or collated so as to pass in contacting parallel relation with each other from the roll, with the printed sheets positioned between these parallel reaches, to a point adjacent a travelling collecting belt and its associated mechanisms, said parallel reaches being separated adjacent said belt, and thereafter so directed that one of them will be collated with succeeding portions of the web,

` as described, and the other one will be diand 22 adjacent a rected to the rewind reel. The arrangement above described, with a single continuous strip or web, will secure the effect of parallel webs with the progressive unwinding of the roll, so that under no circumstances can a printed sheet, wound within the convolutions of the roll, escape from the web vat any point excepting upon its delivery to the delivery belt. The construction and' arrangement of these rollers is also such as to secure a turning action of the inclosed sheets in a manner to be hereinafter described'.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, I provide a guide roller 20 adjacent the bearings 10, guide rollers 21 delivery belt 23, a guide' roller24 adjacent the roller 20, and a plurality of guide rollers 25.p0sitioned between .nism, to

the guide roller 22` andthe rewind mechabe more fully describedhereinafter.

-For convenience vof expression, the roller 20 will be called the collating roller, since the function of this roller is to bring different portions of the same web into parallel relaand a manually,

tion with each other as the web is drawn from the roll. The rollers 21 and 22 will be called the separating rollers, since one function of these rollers is to separate the parallel reaches of the web. The roller 24 will be\called the 'upper collating roller.

To clarify the description of the operation of the machine, I shalldesignate the reach ofthe web passing from a convolution of the roll to the collating roller 20, as 13a; the

reaches of the web between the collating roll` 20 and rollers 21 and 22 respectively, as 13b and 13o; the reach passing from the separating roller 21 and about vthe upper collating roller 24, as 13d, and the reach passing from the separating roller 22 tothe rewind mechanism, as 13e, it beingl understood that during the operation of the machine and the continuous run of a web'therethrough, the conditions illustrated in Fig. 6 will be present at all times. J

The power for unwinding the roll of web is applied through the rewind mechanism, from a motor 26, the circuit of which is controlled by a switch 27. Mounted in the frame of the machine, at the endopposite that at which the collecting belt 23 is located, Iis a vertical elongated bearing y28, in which the arbors 29 of a rewind reel 30 are adapted to be slidably and rotatably mounted, the end plates, drums, etc., being removed from the shaft of the rcel. Also slidably mounted in said bearings 28 is a weighted roller 31 to assist in the friction drive of the rewind reel by means of friction rollers 32'and 33 ad-l 'acent the bottom of the bearing slot 28. The rollers 32 and 33 are driven byl a gear train 34, from a pulley 35 connected by a pulley belt and gear tram 36 with the motor 26.

One of the friction rollers as 32 is provided with a brake drum 37, acted upon by a weighted brake band 38. T he arbors of the weighted roller 31 are mounted in bearings carried by lifting chains or cables 39 passing i about a roller 40, above the top of the bearing 28, and connecting with a winch 41 actuated by a gear train 42, the driven gear of which is actuated by a chain and sprocket-mechanism 43 having a hand crank 44.

Adjacent the friction roller 33 is a pair of pinch rollers 45 to ensure a positive uniform feed of the web prior to its passage about the rewind reel. v

Adjacent the belt 23, and having one reach extending parallel and' in close contact therewith, is a delivery tape system 46. While the belt 23 extends adjacent to the separating roller 22, the tapes 46 extend only to adjacent the separating roller 21. The tapes are provided with the usual takeup means, which are old and well known in the delivery mechanism art and will not, therefore, be described in detail.

tapes 46 is adjacent the collecting shelf.l which will now be described.

The feed shelf consists of a vertically adjustable board 47, having an adjustable tail board 48 and one adjustable side gauge plate 49.

To permit the vertical adjustment of this board with the accumulation o f the stack or pile of sheets thereon, I support it by means of links 50 and 51 pivoted thereto at one end, and having the other end pivoted to cranks 52 and 53 carried by shafts 54 and 55. Each shaft 54 and 55 also carries a segmental gear 56 or 57, each of which is in mesh with a slidingr rack 58. One of the shafts, as 54, carries a worm wheel 59 in mesh with which is a worm shaft 60 having an operating handle 61 adjacent the feed shelf and the operator. This arrangement ensures a parallel movement of the links and the cranks with which the are connected at all times. y

ile this `construction will result in a tendency of the shelf to descend by gravity, and to have a movement away from the delivery end of the belt 23 and tapes 46, this is prevented by means of suitable means having a counterweighting effect, acting upon the board adjacent the tail plate thereof. In the form of theinvention shown, this consists of one or more springs 62, each carried in a housing 63 and connected with the collecting board in any desired manner, as thel cables 64. The link and crank mechanism, and the mechanism last described, is preferably duplicated upon each side of the collecting shelf.

The shaft 54 and the sliding rack 58 are mounted o'n a frame 65, pivotally mounted upon t-heshaft-55. The free end of said frame is supported by means of the flexible connection ,66 passing about a winch 67, which winch may be rotated by means of a suitable worm wheel and gear mechanism 68, operated by a .chain and sprocket mechanism 69, the driving sprocket of which is actuated by means of a hand crank 70.

By paying out the fiexible connection 66, the frame 65 may be lowered at the end thereof adjacent the delivery belt 23 and tapes 46, thus not only changing the angularity to the horizontal of the collecting shelf board 47, but the angularity to the vertical of the tail board 48. v

lVit-h the construction above described, the weight of, and upon, the collecting shelf will be sustained by the counteracting springs 62, which, by Vtheir action, will prevent that movement of the links 50 and 51 necessary to permit the descent of the board, and at the same time will permit that pivotal movement of the board 47 resulting from the lowering of the frame 65 and the horizontal component of movement incidental thereto.

Adjacent the switch 27 is a pedal 71 carrying an adjustable impact member 72 engageable with a spring pressed switch actuating lever 73. This pedal 71 has an arm 74. Pivotally connected with this arm, and with one arm of a bell crank lever 75, is a link 7 6. The other arm of this lever 75 acts upon a spring rod 77, the upper end of which is detachably connected with the brake shoe 17 so that the actuation of said foot pedal will develop a braking action upon the drum 16, and immediately following this braking action, will actuate the circuit controlling switch 2.7 through which power is applied to the motor 26.

One of the guide rollers 25 is mounted in a downwardly opening bearing so that its weight may be utilized as a take-up for keeping the reach 13e taut. If desired, additional guide rollers 25a and 255 may be used, one of which, as 255, may be mounted in a downwardly opening bearing so as to su plement the action of the adjacent guide roller 25 in keeping the web'taut.

The strip or web 13 is subject to irregular lateral stretch with repeated use, and in order to secure at least one straight edge and maintain a proper width of the web, I associate with the pinch rollers 45, a rotary slitter wheel 78 for trimming one edge of the web. If desired, such wheels may be used to trim both edges of the web.

To avoid any possibility of the printed sheets passing about the separating roller 21, I provide, closely adjacent this roller and the adjacent delivery tape mechanism 46, a stripper plate 79. This stripper plate, however, is provided merely to meet a possible emergency.

The operation of the herein described machine is substantially as follows The reel 12, as itis removed from the steel plate engraving machine, has the ends and the drums 14 and 16 already applied thereto and a full length of the web 13 wound thereon with the printed sheets between the convolutions of the web upon the reel.

Before mounting the reel upon the collecting machine, the various braking devices, 15,

17 and 18 are moved from the bearings 10 to provide a clear field for mounting the reel in such bearings, and are set upon their respective drums when the reel is in the proper position.

The end of the web 13 is then drawn from the roll, passed about the collating roller 20, about the separating roller 21, about the upper collating roller 24 and about the roll of web. It is then threaded about the collating roller 2O beneath the portion of the web previously passed about this roller, and about the other separating roller 22, the various guide rollers 25, between the pinch rollers 45 and about the rewind reel 30 which has previously'been mounted in the slotted bearing 28. The weighted roller 3l is then lowered so aS upon the rewind reel.

When the web has thus been threaded through the machine, it will be noted that the reach 13d completely incloses the lower portion of the roll of web upon the reel 12, and passes with the reach 13a in parallel relation thereto from the reel, which parallel relation is continued in the reaches'13b and 13o until the reach 13o passes about the separating roller 22. As heretofore explained, the printed sheets will almost invariably adhere to the outwardly presented surface of the reach 13a and the downwardly presented surface of the reach 13b, notwithstanding that the parallel reaches receive ya fairly sharp turn when passing about the collating roller 20. The most that this short turn appears to effect is a very substantial weakening of the adherence of the sheets to the web, so that during the run of the parallel reaches 13ZJ'and 13o, the sheet is so lightly adherent that when said reach passes about the separating roller 21, the forward edge of a sheet, and every succeeding port-ion thereof, will fall from the web upon the collecting belt 23. The most recently printed surface of each (sheet, as it passes with the reach 13a to the collating roller 20, is presented downwardly, but as it passes about this roller to the reach 13b, this surface will be presented upwardly. As the sheet leaves the web, as a consequence, the freshly printed surface thereof will be presented upwardly, in which position it will be, when delivered to the collecting shelf.

Experience has demonstrated that there is no tendency whatever for these sheets to adhere to the reach 130` and no tendency for them to pass downwardly through the gap between the separating roller 22, and the roll'er for the collecting belt 23. The latter condition may be dueto the moving inertia of the sheet, or to an effective adhesion thereof with the web in the reach 13b. If a sheet should separate from the reach 13?), it merely falls upon the reach 13e and is conveyed thereby to the delivery belt.

As the sheets pass upon the belt 23, they are engaged by the delivery tapes 46 and conveyed by the belt and tapes to adjacent the collecting shelf, upon the board 47 of which theywill be collected in a pile, the sheets receiving suiiicient momentum to cause the forwardedges thereof to engage the tailboard 48 The pinch rollers ensure'the travel of the weby 13 at a uniform speed at all times, notwithstanding theprogressively decreasing diameter of the roll upon the reel 12,

` and the correspondingly increasing diameter of the web being wound upon the rewind reel 30. u

The rewind friction rollers 32 and 33 wind the web paid out by the pinch rollers 45, upon the rewind reel 30 ata substantially constant rate, notwithstanding the gradually increasing diameter of the roll of web upon said rewind reel. The weighted roller 31 causes a fairly tight winding of the web upon the rewind reel, and also ensures the desired frictional engagement between the roll of web and the friction rollers 32 and 33. It is obvious that the reel 30 will rise in the slotted bearing 28 as the diameter of the roll increases.

The mechanism including the winches 41 is used to raise the Weighted roller 3l to provide clearance for the removal of the completely Wound rewind reel, and for lowering the roller following the mounting of a new rewind reel in the bearings 28.

The slitter 7 8 is merely a device for trimming an edge or edgesof the web to compensate for possible increased width from expansion, due to the repeated use of a web. This is to permit the web to be more readily guided through the printing machine.

The stripper 79, acting in relation to the web as it passes about the separating roller 21, is merely to guard against any possibility of a printed sheet being carried about this roller. This stripper is used because of a rather remote possibility that some portion of the printed sheet between the front and the rear edges thereof may have too strong an adherence to the web. The short bend of the web about the rollers 20 and 21 ordinarily can be relied upon to separate the forward edge of the sheet from the web.

The operation of the brake and retard devices is obvious from the foregoing description.

The board of the collecting shelf, prior to the application of power to the machine, is raised to the desired height to accommodate a pile or stack of sheets of a height which will cause each sheet, as it is delivered by the belt 23, to engage the tailboard 48 and the side gauge plate 49. I This movement is effected by means of the links 50 and 51 and cranks 52 and 53 upon the shafts 54 and 55, said shaft 54 being turned by means of the worm wheel 59 and worm shaft 60, and said shaft 55 being turned by the gear 57 enmeshed with the rack 58 which in turn is actuated by the gear 56 upon the shaft 54. Both shafts 54-55 receive similar simultaneous movement.

To secure the proper angularity ofV said board 47, and of the tailboard 48, the winch 67 may be actuated to raise or' lower the free end of the frame 65. The springs 62, or their equivalent, will restrain anytendency of the links 50 and 5l to turn upon their pivots in a manner to allow the collectin shelf to drop beyond the point determined y the movement of the cranks 52 and 53 except as hereinafter noted. i

With the accumulation of weight in the constantly increasing pile of sheets upon the collecting board, the springs 62, or, their equivalent, will yield so that the links 50 and 51 may turn, thus allowing the board to descend, which lowering` of thc board will be accompanied by a movement away from the delivery tapes and belt. lVith this condition, by turning the worm shaft (i0, the cranks 52 and 53 may be moved toward said tapes and belt to restore the position of the tailboard with relation thereto. This operation is repeated from time to time until a sufliciently high stack of sheets has accumulated upon the shelf.

When the stach of sheets is fairly high, the winch 67 may be actuated to lower the free end of the frame G5 so as to advance the top of the tailboard towards the tapes and belt.

lVhen it is desired to remove the collected stack of sheets, the winch G7 is actuated to bring the collecting shelf upon a horizontal pla-ne, the side gauge plate 49 is removed from said board 4T, and a board, known as a wetting board which is removably mounted upon the shelf 47, is slid laterally from the shelf with the sheets thereon.

lVhen the load is removed from the shelf, the spring 62 or other equivalent device will immediately raise the collecting shelf to an extent permitted by the links 50 and 5l. Preparatory to a succeeding run of the machine, this shelf must be raised to the desired elevation by means of the cranks 52 and 53 and the actuating means therefor.

By the arrangement of collating, separating and guide rollers described,`the delivery of every printed sheet at the same point is assured, and not only that, but the sheets are reversed in their travel so as to be delivered face upward upon the collecting sheli. By using rollers 20 and 2l of small diameter, the web 13 receives a sharp turn when passing about such rollers, thus ensuring greater reliability in the breakingl down of the adherence between the sheet and the web immediately prior to the delivery of the sheet to the belt 23. It will be noted that there is no rubbing contact of the sheet with the web or other mechanisms in the machine, so that in the event of the ink not being thoroughly oxidized or dried, there will be no smutting of the imprint.

By using tensioning rollers 80 and 8l upon opposite sides of the vertical diameter of the separating roller 22 to press the belt 253 against the web passing about this roller, and by regulating the pressure exerted by said rollers 80 and 8l through the shaft 82 having the crank arm 83 carrying the adjusting screw 84. likelihood of sheets passing about the roller 22 is still further minimized. The screw 84 bears upon the cam plate 85 and is mounted in a swiveling block 86 facilitating the quick disengagen'ient ofthe rollers 8O and 8l to facilitate the threading of the web through the machine. The operation of the tensioning devices upon the belt 23 and the tapes 46 will be readily understood from the drawings and requires no description either as to arrangement or mode of operation.

Itis not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details shown in the drawings,

it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

l. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collectingr shelf adapted toreceive such sheets from said belt, a rewind mechanism, bearings for a rewind reel adjacent said mechanism, and web guiding means, including a collating roller adjacent said supply reel about which different portions of the web in contacting parallel reaches are passed, separating rollers adjacent said belt, whereby the portions ot' the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led in opposite directions, an upper collating roller whereby one of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of said separating rollers, is directed'into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supply reel, and rollers between the other of said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism.

2. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collecting shelf adapted to receive such sheets from said belt, a rewind mechanism, bearings for a rewind reel adjacent said mechanism, and web guiding means, including a collating roller .f

above and adjacent said supply reel, separating rollers arranged in different horizontally spaced planes, the upper roller being above said belt, and the lower one being adjacent the end of said belt, whereby the portions of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led in opposite directions, and the sheet is conveyed by the upper of said reaches and delivered to said belt, an upper collating roller above said first named collating roller, whereby the upper of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of said separating rollers, is directed into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supplv reel, and rollers between the lower of said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism. V

3. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collecting shelf adapted to receive such sheets from said belt, a rewind mechanism, bearings for a rewind reel adjacent said mechanism, web

guiding means, including a collating roller reel separaterent horizontally the web in'said parallel reaches respectively areled in'opposltev directions, and the sheet is conveyed bythe upper of said reaches anddelivered to said belt, an upper collating roller above said first named collating roller, whereby the upper of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of said separating rollers, is directed `into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supply reel, and rollers between the'lower vof said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism, end a stripper co-operating with the upper of said separating rollers. A 7

4. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a lsupplyreel having wound thereon 4a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collecting shelt` adapted to receive such sheets from said belt, a rewind mechanism, bearings for a rewind reel adjacent said mechanism, vweb guiding means, including a collating roller adj acent'said supply reel about vwhich different portions 'f the web in contacting parallel reaches are passed, separating rollers adjacent said belt, whereby the portions of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led in opposite directions, an upper collating roller whereby one of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of said separating 2 rollers, is directed into contact relation wit theroll of webupon said supply reel, and rollers between the other of said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism, and a pairof pinch rollers between said last named rollers and said rewind mechanism.

5. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collectingv shelf adapted to receive such sheets from said belt, a vertically elongated bearing for a rewind reel, a rewind reel slidably and rotatably mounted in said bearing, two friction rollers adjacent the bottom of said bearing, means 'l simultaneously rotating said rollers in the same direction, and web guiding means, including a collating roller adjacent said supply reel about which different portions of the web in' contacting parallel reaches are passed, separating rollers acent said belt, whereby the portions of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are ledin opposite directions, an upper collating roller whereby one of the parallel reaches, after passing Vabout one of said separating rollers, is `directed into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supply reel, and'rollers between the other of said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism.

6. 'A sheet collecting machine embodying wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery'belt, a collecting shelf adapted to receive such sheets from said, belt, a verticallyelongated bearingffor a rewind reel, a rewind reel slidably and rotatmeans simultaneously rotating said rollers in the same direction, a weighted roller rotatably and slidably mounted in'said bearing in engaging relation upon said rewind reel, raising and lowering said vweighted roller, and web iding. means, l'roller adjacent said supply reel about which different portions of the web in contacting therein bearings for a supply reel having.

including'a collating abl mounted yin said-bearing, twofriction i rol ers adjacent the `-bottom of said bearing, v

with the web being wound mechanical means for parallel reaches are passed, separating rollers adjacent said belt, whereby .the portions of the web in said arallel reaches respectively are led in opposite directions, anv upper ,col-i lating roller whereby one of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of said se a'- rating rollers, is directed into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supply'reel,

and rollers between the other vof said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism. l 7. A sheet collecting machine embodying y therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collecting' shelf adapted to receive such sheets from said belt, a vertically elongated bearing for a rewind reel, a rewindreel slidably and rotatlabl mounted in said bearing, two friction" rol ers adjacent the bottom of said bearing, means-simultaneously rotating said rollers in the same direction, web guiding means, including a collatingroller adjacent said supply reel about which diferent portions of the web in contacting parallel reaches are passed, separating rollers adjacent said belt, whereby the portions of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led in opposite directions,

anjupper collating roller whereby one ofthe parallel reaches, after passing about one of tact relationwith the roll of web upon said supply reel, and rollers between the other of said separa-ting rollers and said rewind mechanism, and a pair of pinch rollers between said last named rollers and said friction rollers.

8.' A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery'belt, a collecting shelf adapted to receive such sheets from said belt, a vertically elongated bearing for a ref wind reel, a rewind reel slidably and rotat ably mounted in said bearing, two friction rollers adjacent the Abottom of said bearing, means simultaneously rotating said rollers in the same direction, a weighted roller rotatably and slidably mounted in said bearing in said separating rollers, is directed into conl engaging relation with the web being wound upon said rewind reel, mechanical means for raising and lowering said weighted roller, web guiding means, including a collating roller adjacent said supply reel about whic different portions of the web in contacting parallel reaches are passed, separating rollers adjacent said belt, whereby the portions of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led in opposite directions an upper collating roller whereby one of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of sa1d separating rollers, is directed into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supply reel, and rollers between the other of said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism, and a pair of pinch rollers between said last named rollers and said friction rollers.

9. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein vbearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collecting shelf adapted to receive such sheets from said belt, a rewind mechanism bearings for a rewind reel adjacent said mechanism, web guiding means, including a collating roller adjacent said supply reel about which different portions of the web in contacting parallel reaches are passed, separating rollers adjacent said belt, whereby the portions of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led in opposite directions, an upper collating roller whereby one of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of said se arating rollers, is directed into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supply reel, and rollers between the other of sa1d separating rollers and said rewind mechanism, a pair of pinch rollers between said last named rollers and said rewind mechanism, and a rotary slitter wheel associated with said pinch rollers for trimming an edge of a web being fed by said rollers.

10. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collectin shelf adapted to receive such sheets from sai belt, collapsible supporting means for said shelfmeans for actuating said collapsible sup orting means for raising and lowering sai shelf with a parallel movement, counterbalancing means acting upon said shelf, a rewindmechanism, bearings for a rewind reel adjacent said mechanism, and web guiding means, including a collating roller adjacenty said supply reel about which dilerent portions of the web in contacting parallel reaches are passed, separating rollers adjacent said belt, whereby the portions of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led in opposite directions, an upper collating roller whereby one of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of said separating rollers, is directed into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supply reel, and rollers between the other of sa1d separating rollers and said rewind mechanism.

1l. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collectin shelf adapted to receive such sheets from sai belt, collapsible supporting means for said shelf, means for actuating said collapsible supportin means for raising and lowering said shel with, a parallel movement, counterbalancing means acting upon said shelf, means whereby]y one end of said shelf may be vertically adjusted independently of the other end thereof to control the angularity of the shelf, or bring it to a horizontal position, a rewind mechanism, bearings for a rewind reel adjacent said mechanism, and web guiding means, including a collating roller adj acent said supply reel about which different portions of the web in contacting parallel reaches are passed, separating rollers adjacent said belt, whereby the portions of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led in opposlte directions, an upper collating roller whereby one of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of said separating rollers, is directed into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supply reel, and rollers between the other of said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism.

12. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collecting shelf adapted to receive such sheets from said belt, a plurality of rotatable crank shafts each having a cra-nk thereon, links pivotally connected lwith said cranks and with said shelf respectively, means for imparting similar simultaneous movement to said shafts for positioning said shelf in relation to said belt, counterbalancing means acting upon said shelf, a rewind mechanism, bearings for a rewind reel adjacent said mechanism, and web guiding means, including a collating asv roller adjacent said supply reel about which u different portions of the web in contacting reel, and rollers between the other of said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism.

y13. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a, continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collecting shelf adapted to receive such lsheets from said belt, aplurality of rotatable crank shafts each having a crank thereon, links pivotally connected with said cranks and with' said shelf respectively, gear wheels upon said shafts respectively, a sliding rack enmeshed with said gearwheels, means for rotating one of said shafts for positioning said shelf in relation to said belt, counterbalancing means acting upon said shelf, a rewind mechanism, bearings for a rewind reel adjacentsaid mechanism, and web guiding means, including a collating roller adjacent said supply r'eel about which Vdifferent portions of the web in contacting parallel reaches are passed, separating rollers adjacent said belt, whereby the portions of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led in opposite direc- Y tions, an upper collating roller whereby one of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of said separating rollers, is directed into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supply reel, and rollers between the other of said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism.

14. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collecting shelf adapted to receive lsuch sheets froml said belt, a plurality of rotatable crank shafts each having a crank thereon, links pivotally connected with said cranks and with said shelf respectively, gear wheels upon said shafts respectively, a sliding rack enmeshed with said gear wheels, means for rotating one of said shafts for positioning said shelf in relation to said belt, an oscillatory frame piv. oted concentric with one of saidshafts and carrying the other of said shafts, a mechanically actuated winch, and flexible connections between said winch and saidframe, whereby one end of said shelf may be vertically adjusted independently of the other end to control the angularity of the shelf, or bring it to a horizontal plane, counterbalancing 45 meansacting upon said shelf, a rewind mechanism, bearings for a rewind reel adjacent said mechanism, and web guiding means, includjng a collating roller adjacent said supply reel about which diil'erent portions oi?y the web in contacting parallel reaches are passed, separating rollers adjacent said belt, whereby the portions of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led in opposite directions, an upper collating roller whereby one of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of said separating rollers, is directed into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supply reel, and rollers between the other of said separating rollers $0 and said rewind mechanism.

15. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collectin 5 shelf adapted to receive such sheets from sai belt, a rewind mechanism, bearings for a rewind reel adjacent said mechanism, web guiding means, including a collating roller above and adjacent said supply reel, separating rollers arranged in diii'erent horizontally spaced planes, the upper roller being above said belt, and the lower one being adjacent the end of said belt, whereby the portions of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led in opposite directions, and the sheet is conveyed by the u per of said reaches and delivered to said Ibelt, an upper collating roller above said first named collating roller, whereby the upper of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of said separating rbllers, is directed into contact relation with the roll of web upon said supply reel, and rollers between the lower of said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism, tensioning rollers engaging said belt upon opposite sides of the vertical diameter of the upper separating roller, and means for regulating the pressure exerted by said tensioning rollers upon sai-d belt and therethrough upon said separating roller.

16. A sheet collecting machine embodying therein bearings for a supply reel having wound thereon a continuous web inclosing printed sheets, a delivery belt, a collecting shelf. adapted to receive such sheets from said belt, a rewind mechanism, bearings for a rewind reel adjacent said mechanism, web

guiding means, including a collating roller above and adj-acent said supply reel, separating rollers arranged in different horizontally spaced planes, the upper roller being above said belt, and the lower one being adjacent the end of said belt, whereby the portions of the web in said parallel reaches respectively are led in opposite directions, and the sheet is conveyed by the upper of said reaches and delivered to said belt, an upper collating roller above said irst named collating roller, whereby the upper of the parallel reaches, after passing about one of `said separating rollers, is directed into contact relation with the roll of web vupon said supply reel, and rollers between the lower of said separating rollers and said rewind mechanism, tensioning rollers engaging said belt upon opposite sides of the vertical diameter of the upper separating roller, a revoluble shaft, means carried by said shaft operative upon said tensioning rollers respectively, a crank arm carried by sait4 shaft. a cam plate, a swivellng block carried ,Jy sald crank arm, and an adjusting screw mounted 1n said block co-operating with said cam plate,

whereby the tensioning pressure developed by said tensioning rollers may be adjusted. In witness whereof I have hereunto atfixed my signature this 11th day of January,

JOHN J MURRAY. 

